Dr. Ayyanadar Arunachalam has more than 25 years of experience in teaching, research and research management in his principal areas of expertise: forest ecology, biodiversity, climate-resilient agriculture and ecosystem-based adaptation. He is also experienced in agroforestry, ecosystem services, biological conservation, climate change, agricultural biotechnology, medicinal and aromatic plants, remote sensing and GIS. Currently, he is a principal scientist in forestry in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, having special responsibilities as the principal scientific officer to the secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education; a director-general in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research; and an assistant director-general (international relations) in the Indian Council ofAgricultural Research. He has taught in more than 15 universities in India and other countries, with a Ph.D. in restoration ecology from the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India, and a postgraduate diploma in environmental management and planning, as well as having completed the advanced training program in biodiversity monitoring and restoration ecology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA. He has edited 17 books, written 117 book chapters and has more than 200 research publications.